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I am working on the template of this blog today in order to chase down some problems that have developed with my template and widgets.

Macon County Commissioners

Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County Board of County Commissioners.

Franklin Town Board of Aldermen

Coverage of the meetings of the Franklin Town Board of Aldermen.

Macon County School Board

Coverage of the meetings of the Macon County School Board.

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Photos from my photoblog.

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About

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Out Sick



I have been fighting a bug since last Saturday, and have decided to come to a full stop this weekend in an effort to get plenty of rest and keep hydrated so I can kick its butt once and for all. I hope to be back to full speed by Monday. 

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Friday, April 29, 2011

Watch the STS-134 Launch Live
The Last Flight of Endeavour

**2.21pm** Today's launch has been scrubbed. I will re-post on Monday.


Engineers and Managers to Assess APU Issue

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:14:11 PM EDT

Shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach stated that Endeavour's launch will be no earlier than Monday at 2:33 p.m. EDT. Engineers need that time to troubleshoot an issue that resulted in today’s launch scrub.

During today’s countdown, engineers detected a failure in one of two heater circuits associated with Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) 1. Heaters are required to keep the APUs’ hydrazine from freezing on orbit. Attempts to activate the heater were not successful and engineers now believe the problem might be associated with a Load Control Assembly, which is a switchbox, located in the aft end of Endeavour, or an electrical short in the wires leading into or out of the switchbox.

Endeavour’s external tank will be drained, technicians will enter Endeavour’s aft compartment overnight and by tomorrow afternoon, will put in a platform to gain access to the avionics bay where the Load Control Assembly is located. Once there, they will assess whether they need to remove and replace the switchbox, or fix an electrical wiring short.

Because of this, Leinbach said there will be a minimum 72-hour scrub turnaround.

Engineers and managers will meet this afternoon to further refine their troubleshooting plan. NASA has scheduled a news conference at 4 p.m. to discuss today’s scrub and the plan.






STS-134 (ISS assembly flight ULF6)[4] is the penultimate voyage of the Space Shuttle. This flight will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and anExPRESS Logistics Carrier to the International Space Station.[5] The mission will also mark the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour.[6] Mark E. Kelly will serve as the mission commander. STS-134 was expected to be the final space shuttle mission if STS-135 did not receive funding from Congress; however, in February 2011, NASA stated that STS-135 would fly "regardless" of the funding situation.[7]
Changes in the design of the main payload, AMS-02, as well as delays to STS-133 have led to delays in the mission. April 29, 2011 is the current target launch date.[1] STS-134's Launch On Need mission, a contingency mission to rescue a stranded STS-134 crew, would be the STS-335 flight, flown byAtlantis.
Kelly's wife, Gabrielle Giffords, is planning to attend the launch. This will be her first trip since moving from Tucson to Houston in January after an attempted assassination. Giffords' planned appearance at Kennedy Space Center is giving the launch a high profile, "one of the most anticipated in years," according to the New York Times. President Obama is also scheduled to be in Florida for the launch. This will be the first time a sitting president has attended a launch since 1998.[8]
Source: Wikipedia


Here is livestream from NASA so that you might enjoy the launch live. I will replace it with a video replay after the launch. The launch is currently scheduled for 3.47pm EDT.






Mission Overview...






Tribute video...







And a lightning strike video to serve as a parting shot...






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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Day of the Tornadoes



This tornado outbreak began on April 25th and maxed on April 27th, when over 100 tornadoes were reported. Tornadoes are still being spawned by the storm this morning. This has been the deadliest tornado outbreak since 1932, overtaking the Super Outbreak of 1974. For more information, I refer you to the Wikipedia article on this outbreak, which is being continually updated with new information as it comes in.



TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Deadly tornados ripped apart the South overnight from Texas to Virginia
By 7 a.m. Thursday, 128 people were reported killed in Alabama alone, and the total was 178 people in all. Those devastating numbers are expected to rise.
Rick Reichmuth, a Fox News meteorologist, joined "Good Day" live now from Tuscaloosa, Ala., where parts of the city were just decimated.
He said the mile-wide twister that struck Tuscaloosa was probably an EF-5 tornado. It may have lasted four hours, cutting a 170-mile swath across Alabama and Georgia.


Here are a few videos I have gathered from the Internet, including a replay of most of the coverage from yesterday evening by James Spann:





This video is from the EF4 tornado that went through Tuscaloosa, AL on 4/27/11. It was taken from the University Mall parking lot.






Comments on the ABC 33/40 Live Coverage


I watched James Spann and his team live via the Internet and I must say that they did an excellent job and saved many, many lives yesterday.


Here are links to snippets of their coverage:


Tuscaloosa Tornado Live Coverage


Tornado death toll rises to 128 across state of Alabama








SKY CAM Footage of the Tuscaloosa Tornado





April 27, 2011 Close Range Mississippi Tornado!





Tornado Tuscaloosa, AL





Multi Vortex Tornado over Cullman County Alabama






Cullman Tornado I65 and Hwy 278


If you're interested in reliving the coverage, here are a few videos to help you do that:











Part 1











Part 2












Part 3








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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Severe Weather Update #1 for 04-27-2011


Chances of Severe Hail for today


Here are a couple of video weather briefings I forgot to add to the last post.


**9.53am** A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Clay and Cherokee Counties in North Carolina...just a few miles to my west.







Matthew East also has his video detailing his concerns for the storms today. See it here


I'm also following the storm reports in real-time on NWS-Chat, a public page where you can see them and scroll around the map and zoom in for more detail in areas you are interested about.


As always, keep an eye on the GSP weather forecast office for the latest updates.


If you are interested in watching some of the storm chasers today, check out these websites:


Chaser TV


Severe Studios


Storm Chase Live




Here is the 755am CDT Outlook issued from the Storm Prediction Center:



 SPC AC 271255
   
   DAY 1 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK  
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0755 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011
   
   VALID 271300Z - 281200Z
   
   ...THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SVR TSTMS TODAY INTO EARLY TONIGHT FOR NE
   MS...CENTRAL/NRN AL...NW GA...SE TN...
   
   ...THERE IS A MDT RISK OF SVR TSTMS SURROUNDING THE HIGH RISK...FROM
   NRN/CENTRAL MS TO SRN AL...NW GA...MIDDLE/ERN TN...WRN SC...WRN
   NC...WRN VA...AND ERN KY...
   
   ...THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS FROM THE N CENTRAL GULF COAST
   TO THE OH VALLEY/APPALACHIANS AND NY...
   
   --DANGEROUS TORNADO OUTBREAK IS EXPECTED FROM LATE MORNING INTO LATE
   EVENING ACROSS THE TN VALLEY REGION--
   
   ...SYNOPSIS...
   AN INTENSE MIDLEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED 100 KT 500 MB
   JET WILL PIVOT EWD FROM TX/OK THIS MORNING TO LOWER MS/TN VALLEY
   REGION BY THIS EVENING...AND CONTINUE NEWD TO THE CENTRAL
   APPALACHIANS OVERNIGHT.  THE PRIMARY SURFACE CYCLONE WILL DEVELOP
   NEWD FROM WRN AR THIS MORNING TO WRN KY/SRN INDIANA BY THIS
   EVENING...AND THEN CONTINUE NEWD TO THE LOWER GREAT LAKES OVERNIGHT.
   A TRAILING COLD FRONT AND REMNANT DRYLINE FEATURE WILL SWEEP EWD
   ACROSS THE ARKLAMISS THIS AFTERNOON...PROVIDING A FOCUS FOR SEVERE
   STORM DEVELOPMENT.  GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF VERY STRONG WINDS
   THROUGHOUT THE TROPOSPHERE AND AN INFLUX OF RICH MOISTURE FROM THE
   GULF OF MEXICO...THE ENVIRONMENT WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR A DANGEROUS
   OUTBREAK OF FAST-MOVING TORNADIC SUPERCELLS AND EMBEDDED BOW ECHOES
   TODAY INTO EARLY TONIGHT.
   
   ...MS/AL/TN/KY/GA AREA THROUGH TONIGHT...
   THE REMNANTS OF AN INTENSE OVERNIGHT MCS /INCLUDING EMBEDDED
   SUPERCELLS AND BOWS/ IS WEAKENING OVER NE AL AND MIDDLE TN AS OF
   SUNRISE.  OTHER ELEVATED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS UNDERWAY TO THE
   W FROM NE LA INTO SE AR/NRN MS.  SOME FORM OF THIS ELEVATED
   CONVECTION WILL LIKELY PERSIST THROUGH THE DAY WHILE SPREADING ENEWD
   OVER NRN MS INTO WRN/MIDDLE TN.  S OF THIS ACTIVITY AND IN THE WAKE
   OF THE EARLIER MS/AL MCS...IT APPEARS THAT THE WARM SECTOR WILL
   RECOVER QUICKLY DURING THE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON IN RESPONSE TO
   CLOUD BREAKS AND STRONG LOW-LEVEL SLY FLOW.  A RESERVOIR OF 70-72 F
   BOUNDARY LAYER DEWPOINTS FROM SRN LA TO SRN AL WILL SPREAD NWD IN
   THE WAKE OF THE MORNING STORMS...BENEATH THE REMNANTS OF STEEP
   MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATE PLUME SPREADING EWD FROM TX/LA.  SURFACE HEATING
   WITHIN THE MOIST WARM SECTOR WILL BOOST MLCAPE VALUES TO 2500-4000
   J/KG ALONG AND S OF THE REMNANT OUTFLOW BOUNDARY...AND REDUCE
   CONVECTIVE INHIBITION BY ABOUT MIDDAY.  THIS WILL ALLOW THE
   DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED-NUMEROUS WARM SECTOR SUPERCELLS ALONG
   CONFLUENCE BANDS E OF THE COLD FRONT/DRYLINE BY EARLY AFTERNOON.
   
   THE VERTICAL SHEAR ENVIRONMENT WILL BECOME VERY FAVORABLE FOR
   TORNADIC SUPERCELLS...CHARACTERIZED BY LONG/CURVED HODOGRAPHS WITH
   EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR IN EXCESS OF 70 KT AND EFFECTIVE SRH OF 300-600
   M2/S2 IN THE UNSTABLE WARM SECTOR.  GIVEN THE EXPECTATION OF SEVERAL
   HOURS OF DISCRETE SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT IN THE WAKE OF THE MORNING
   STORMS...A VERY MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER...THE STRONG INSTABILITY...AND
   INTENSE VERTICAL SHEAR...THE SCENARIO APPEARS FAVORABLE FOR MULTIPLE
   LONG-TRACK SUPERCELLS WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE INTENSE/DAMAGING
   TORNADOES IN THE HIGH RISK AREA.
   
   ...AR NEWD TO THE LOWER OH VALLEY TODAY...
   ALONG THE PATH OF THE MIDLEVEL TROUGH AND SURFACE CYCLONE...THERE
   WILL BE A FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT LATER
   TODAY.  THE DEGREE OF INSTABILITY IS IN QUESTION GIVEN THE IMPACTS
   OF OVERNIGHT AND ONGOING CONVECTION FARTHER TO THE SE.  STILL...ANY
   CLOUD BREAKS WILL ALLOW DESTABILIZATION BENEATH COOL MIDLEVEL
   TEMPERATURES...IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF STRONG DEEP-LAYER SPEED SHEAR. 
   DAMAGING WINDS/HAIL AND A COUPLE OF TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
   ANY CLUSTERS IMMEDIATELY IN ADVANCE OF THE SURFACE LOW.
   
   ...UPPER OH VALLEY TONIGHT...
   THE PRIMARY SURFACE CYCLONE AND STRONG KINEMATIC PROFILES ARE
   EXPECTED TO REACH THE UPPER OH VALLEY EARLY TONIGHT.  THE MAGNITUDE
   OF WARM SECTOR INSTABILITY IS IN QUESTION GIVEN WIDESPREAD
   CONVECTION ONGOING AND EXPECTED TO THE SOUTH.  HOWEVER...VERY STRONG
   LOW-LEVEL SHEAR IN A MOIST ENVIRONMENT COULD SUPPORT A FEW TORNADOES
   WITH EMBEDDED BOWS AND SUPERCELL STRUCTURES.
   
   ..THOMPSON/COHEN.. 04/27/2011


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Severe Weather Expected Across Carolinas Today And Tonight

**5.50am** I just noticed this statement from the National Weather Service, issued at 5am this morning:

THUNDERSTORMS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE IN COVERAGE ACROSS THE
WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA TODAY...ESPECIALLY THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AS THE ATMOSPHERE BECOMES MORE UNSTABLE
THROUGH THE DAY...THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL GAIN THE POTENTIAL TO
PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...AND LOCALLY VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL.


A MORE SOLID LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP FROM CENTRAL
TENNESSEE THROUGH THE DEEP SOUTH TODAY AND MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS
THE FORECAST AREA LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.
IT IS LIKELY THAT SEVERE...DAMAGING WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS
LINE AS IT MOVES INTO THE REGION. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG
THE LINE COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AS WELL...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES
WILL BE POSSIBLE.


KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT TODAY AND
TONIGHT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WATCHES ARE VERY LIKELY
FOR PART OR ALL OF THE AREA LATE TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. MAKE PLANS
NOW FOR WHERE YOU WILL TAKE SHELTER WHEN THE THUNDERSTORMS ARRIVE.
KEEP AN ALERTING NOAA WEATHER RADIO NEARBY IN CASE WARNINGS ARE
ISSUED WHILE YOU ARE SLEEPING TONIGHT.



The Carolinas will be at extreme high for severe weather today and tonight as the weather system that has spawned numerous tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, 5" hailstones and heavy flooding is expected to traverse our area by tomorrow morning. It is possible that we could see supercells move into our area from Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee ahead of the front this afternoon until the early morning hours tomorrow.  My main concern is that we could see multiple Derecho events that would knock over trees and power lines, and have some large hail. I will refer you back to the post I wrote Saturday morning for links that will help you prepare for these storms.

For up to date information on the progress of this storm system, please visit the GSP weather forecast office of the National Weather Service. If you have a weather radio, please keep it with you today and tonight, especially if it one of those types that can receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service.

I will add additional posts today and tonight about this potentially dangerous storm system as conditions warrant.

Here is the 1am CDT forecast discussion regarding this storm from the Storm Prediction Center:



 SPC AC 270610
   
   DAY 1 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK CORR 1
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0110 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011
   
   VALID 271200Z - 281200Z
   
   ...THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SVR TSTMS OVER PORTIONS OF NRN
   MS...AL...FAR NWRN GA AND SRN MIDDLE TN...
   
   ...THERE IS A MDT RISK OF SVR TSTMS OVER MUCH OF CNTRL AND NRN MS
   AND AL...NWRN GA...MUCH OF TN AND KY...WRN CAROLINAS...
   
   ...THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS FROM THE LOWER MS VALLEY/GULF
   COAST STATES NWD TO THE CANADIAN BORDER...
   
   CORRECTED FOR SPELLING ERROR
   
   ...SYNOPSIS...
   AN UPPER TROUGH AXIS WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS THE SRN PLAINS AT 12Z
   WED...WITH A 100 KT MID LEVEL JET ACROSS N TX. THIS FEATURE WILL
   STRENGTHEN THROUGH 00Z AS IT EJECTS NEWD ACROSS THE LOWER MS AND
   INTO THE TN/OH VALLEYS DURING THE DAY. AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE
   IS FORECAST TO BE OVER W CNTRL AR AT 12Z...WITH A DEVELOPING COLD
   FRONT TRAILING SWWD INTO ERN TX. THESE FEATURES WILL MOVE RAPIDLY
   ENEWD...WITH THE SURFACE LOW NEARING SRN INDIANA BY 00Z AND A SHARP
   LOW PRESSURE TROUGH EXTENDING SWD INTO CNTRL KY...MIDDLE TN...ERN MS
   AND WRN AL.
   
   AHEAD OF THE FRONT...A VERY WARM AND MOIST AIR MASS WILL ALREADY BE
   IN PLACE BY MIDDAY WITH 68-72 BOUNDARY LAYER DEWPOINTS LIKELY FROM
   THE GULF COAST INTO MS/AL...AND MID TO UPPER 60S F OVER TN AND SRN
   KY WHERE SUBSTANTIAL MORNING CONVECTION WILL LIKELY BE ONGOING. WITH
   RELATIVELY COOL TEMPERATURE PROFILES ALOFT...AN EXTREMELY UNSTABLE
   ATMOSPHERE WILL RESULT ACROSS THE WARM SECTOR. WIND FIELDS
   THROUGHOUT THE TROPOSPHERE WILL STRENGTHEN WITH THE APPROACHING
   TROUGH/JET MAX...AND THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO IS EXPECTED TO
   RESULT IN A TORNADO OUTBREAK...WITH LONG-TRACKED STRONG TO VIOLENT
   TORNADOES POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGH RISK AREA.
   
   TO THE E...THE BROAD SLY FLOW ACROSS THE WARM SECTOR WILL EXTEND
   INTO THE MID ATLANTIC REGION...WITH A SECONDARY MOIST PLUME OFF THE
   ATLANTIC NWD INTO THE CAROLINAS AND WRN VA BY AFTERNOON.
   
   --- AN OUTBREAK OF TORNADOES AND DAMAGING WINDS IS EXPECTED TODAY
   THROUGH EVENING OVER PORTIONS OF NRN MS...NRN AL...TN AND KY. ---
   
   ...LOWER MS VALLEY INTO TN/OH VALLEYS...
   A COMPLICATED FORECAST SCENARIO WILL UNFOLD TODAY...BEGINNING RATHER
   EARLY IN THE PERIOD OVER SRN AND ERN AR AND NRN LA. MODELS ARE IN
   RELATIVELY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE SURFACE LOW OVER
   AR BETWEEN 12-15Z...THEN DEVELOPING IT NEWD ACROSS TN/KY BY 00Z.
   NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ONGOING...AND SOME WILL BE
   SEVERE...FROM NRN LA/SRN AR EWD ACROSS NRN MS...WRN AND MIDDLE TN
   AND KY. DESPITE TIME OF DAY...PRESENCE OF RICH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE
   WILL RESULT IN LITTLE CAPPING AND SURFACE BASED EFFECTIVE PARCELS. 
   THUS...A TORNADO AND DAMAGING WIND THREAT WILL BE PRESENT WITH THIS
   ACTIVITY.
   
   SOUTH OF THE ONGOING ACTIVITY...STRONG DAYTIME HEATING WILL OCCUR.
   WITH BOUNDARY LAYER DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW 70S F...THIS WILL CREATE
   STRONG TO EXTREME INSTABILITY OVER MS AND AL NWD TO THE ONGOING
   CONVECTION. A CAPPING INVERSION WILL LIKELY KEEP MUCH OF THE WARM
   SECTOR S OF THE EARLY STORMS CAPPED...ALLOWING A BUILD UP OF
   INSTABILITY TO BE RELEASED WHEN LARGE SCALE FORCING ARRIVES DURING
   THE AFTERNOON ALONG THE COLD FRONT AND ESPECIALLY NEAR THE
   FRONT/OUTFLOW BOUNDARY INTERSECTION. THE RESULT WILL BE FAST MOVING
   TORNADIC SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES. GIVEN
   THE FAST STORM MOTIONS AND RELATIVELY WIDE WARM SECTOR...SOME
   TORNADOES COULD BE LONG LIVED. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR THESE TYPES
   OF STORMS WILL BE OVER THE HIGH RISK AREA...OVER NRN MS AND
   AL...INTO EXTREME NWRN GA AND SRN MIDDLE TN. THIS ACTIVITY WILL
   PERSIST TO THE E...BUT CELLS MAY EVENTUALLY MERGE INTO MORE OF A
   QLCS STRUCTURE CAPABLE OF PARTICULARLY DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW
   TORNADOES.
   
   ...WRN NC/VA...
   A CONDITIONAL SEVERE THREAT WILL EXIST BY LATE AFTERNOON OVER WRN
   NC/VA.  STRONG  HEATING WILL RESULT IN STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE
   RATES...BUT FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW A CAPPING INVERSION AROUND 700
   MB...WHICH SHOULD KEEP THE AIR MASS CAPPED. HOWEVER...MOISTURE
   ADVECTION...AS WELL AS SELY UPSLOPE FLOW MAY RESULT IN ISOLATED
   THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. WIND
   PROFILES WOULD FAVOR SUPERCELLS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES
   HAIL AND WIND. WILL MAINTAIN LOW PROBABILITIES FOR THE DAYTIME
   CONVECTION.
   
   ..JEWELL.. 04/27/2011





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NC General Assembly
04-27-2011 Legislative Calendar
Links to Bills and Live Audio Feeds


The new session of the North Carolina General Assembly is well underway and here is the schedule for today. Lots of committees are meeting today, as well as sessions of the NC Senate and the NC House. I have included links to bill histories, downloadable PDFs of the current versions of bills and links so that you can listen to the audio feed of these meetings live...provided they are taking place in a room that is wired for audio streaming to the Internet. 


If you cannot listen to these meetings live, check back later to see if I have. If I have, I'll post the audio (and a download link) for the meeting in the calendar. You can also follow what is happening in the NC General Assembly by keeping an eye on the hashtag #ncga on Twitter.

If I haven't been able to listen, please check with Voter Radio. You should already be subscribing to their podcasts anyway. I do. Ê˜‿ʘ





8:30 AM
Appropriations (House) [Live Audio]
PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR COPY OF THE BILL AND MONEY REPORT TO THE MEETING. COPIES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE MEETING
Appropriations Act of 2011. (H200)
643 LOB
9:00 AM
Rules and Operations of the Senate -- CORRECTED (Senate)
ABC Law/Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. (S324)
Adopt Official State Sport. (S322)
1027 LB
10:00 AM
Insurance (Senate)
Reduce Overpopulation of Reinsurance Facility. (S477)
Automobile Insurance Regulatory Modernization. (S490)
1027 LB
10:00 AM
Education/Higher Education (Senate) [Live Audio]
Study Innovations/Incentives in Education. (S169)
Community College Efficiency Initiatives. (S569)
Higher Education Efficiency and Flexibility. (S575)
Changes to Fees for Teacher Certification. (S576)
544 LOB
10:00 AM
Sen. F. McKissick (Time Change) [Live Audio]
Press Room LB
11:00 AM
Transportation (Senate)
Selective Vegetation Removal/State Highways . (S183)
Commercial and Other M/V Law Changes.-AB (S271)
Eliminate Weight Requirements/Farm Trucks. (S704)
Modify Weight Limits for Farm Operations. (S749)
DOT Bid Responses Not Public/Contract Awarded. (S750)
Single Trip Permits/Modular Homes. (S771)
1027 LB
11:00 AM
Health Care -- CORRECTED (Senate) [Live Audio]
Health Care Sharing Organizations. (S608)
Conform Medical Record Laws. (S607)
Prescription Integrity Act. (S718)
Expand Pharmacists' Immunizing Authority. (S246)
544 LOB
12:00 NOON
Mental Health & Youth Services (Senate)
Report on Transfer of CAP-MR/DD UR to LMEs. (S328)
Expand Inpatient Psychiatric Beds/Funds. (S334)
Apply for TBI Medicaid Waiver. (S335)
ACH Pilot on Crisis Intervention Training. (S401)
GAST Training Pilot. (S421)
414 LOB
12:15 PM
Session Convenes (House) [Live Audio]
No bills are on the calendar
House
1:00 PM
Finance (Senate) [Live Audio]
Level Playing Field/Local Gov't Competition. (H129)
544 LOB
3:00 PM
Session Convenes (Senate) [Live Audio]

PUBLIC BILLS
SECOND READING
SB 404 (Id H 391) Brock DEPT. OF ADMIN/PROCUREMENT MODERNIZATION.-AB
3/24 Program Evaluation 4/26 Fav
SB 463 Mansfield 2nd Ed. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TAXPAYER INVESTMENT ACT. Com Sub
3/31 Program Eval. 4/26 Unfav bill; Program Eval. Com Sub Adopted; (Chgs title)
SB 479 Tillman, Preston, Soucek TESTING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
4/4 Ed/Higher Ed.; if Fav Appro./Base Bud. 4/14 Fav; rerefer Appro./Base Bud.
4/26 W/D Appro./Base Bud.; Cal 4/27
SB 487 Stein, Vaughan, Newton DISPUTED EARNEST MONEY/ATTORNEYS DEPOSIT.
4/4 Judiciary I 4/26 Fav 
SB 493 Daniel, Jackson 2nd Ed. CODIFY NC CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM IN DACS. Com Sub
4/4 Ag./Envir./Nat Res. 4/26 Unfav bill; Ag./Envir./Nat Res. Com Sub Adopted
SB 501 (Id H 529) Rouzer, Jackson 2nd Ed. SWINE HOUSE RENOVATIONS/SITE LIMITS. Com Sub
4/5 Ag./Envir./Nat Res. 4/26 Unfav bill; Ag./Envir./Nat Res. Com Sub Adopted
SB 514 Brunstetter NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLAN ONLY FOR NSW.
4/6 Ag./Envir./Nat Res. 4/26 Fav

THIRD READING
SB 433 (Id H 580) Hartsell 2nd Ed.
LOCAL HUMAN SERVICES ADMINISTRATION. Com Sub
3/29 Health Care4/6 Unfav bill; Health Care Com Sub Adopted4/7 W/D Cal; Cal 4/11
4/11 W/D Cal; Cal 4/13 4/13 W/D Cal; Cal 4/14 4/14 W/D Cal; Cal 4/19
4/19 W/D Cal; Cal 4/20 4/20 Hartsell Amd. No. 1 Adopted; Purcell Amd No. 2 Withdrawn; D. Berger Amd 
No. 3 Failed; Passed 2nd Rdg 4/21 W/D Cal; Cal 4/27
Senate










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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Macon County Commissioners 04-26-2011
Meeting Agenda and Live Coverage



There has been no agenda released for this meeting. I will be there, covering it and uploading photos from time to time. You may follow via the Twitter hashtag #MaconGov or on the widget below.



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NC General Assembly
04-26-2011 Legislative Calendar
Links to Bills and Live Audio Feeds


The new session of the North Carolina General Assembly is well underway and here is the very heavy schedule for today. several committees are scheduled to meet today, and the NC House and the NC Senate are also scheduled to meet today. I have included links to bill histories, downloadable PDFs of the current versions of bills and links so that you can listen to the audio feed of these meetings live...provided they are taking place in a room that is wired for audio streaming to the Internet. 


If you cannot listen to these meetings live, check back later to see if I have. If I have, I'll post the audio (and a download link) for the meeting in the calendar. You can also follow what is happening in the NC General Assembly by keeping an eye on the hashtag #ncga on Twitter.

If I haven't been able to listen, please check with Voter Radio. You should already be subscribing to their podcasts anyway. I do. Ê˜‿ʘ



15 MINUTES AFTER SESSION
Judiciary Subcommittee B (House)
DNA Samples/Additional Felonies. (H483)
Supervis. of Magistrates/Juries/Calendaring. (H517)
Divorce/DVPO/Child Support Changes. (H589)
Weigh Marijuana/Conform to Fed Law. (H742)
Substance Abuse Treatment. (H629)
Lmt PJCs/B,C, D, or E Felonies. (H852)
Zoning St. of Limit./Ag. Dist. Change. (H806)
421 LOB
8:00 AM
Finance -- CORRECTED (House) [Live Audio]
Appropriations Act of 2011. (H200)
State Treasurer's Investments.-AB (H318)
544 LOB
10:00 AM
Judiciary I -- CANCELLED (Senate)
Judiciary I is cancelled
Allow Juvenile Record/Risk Determination/Bond. (S135)
Confidentiality/Investigative Info/Optometry. (S349)
Revise Probate Code. (S432)
Repeal Matching Funds. (S459)
Buyer Choice/Title Insurer & Settlement Agent. (S518)
Repeal Rule in Dumpor's Case. (S521)
Personnel Records Technical Changes. (S554)
Clarify Trusts as Beneficiaries in POD Accts. (S568)
Clarify Use of Position. (S620)
1027 LB
10:00 AM
Judiciary II (Senate)

1124 LB
10:00 AM
Education (House) [Live Audio]
School Calendar Flexibility/Inclement Weather. (H197)
Tax Credits for Children with Disabilities. (H344)
Alternative Salary Plans/Charlotte-Meck. Sch. (H546)
643 LOB
10:00 AM
Health and Human Services (House)
This meeting is expected to last from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Protect Adult Care Home Residents. (H474)
Exclusions from Licensure: Home Services. (H509)
Streamline Oversight/DHHS Service Providers. (H618)
Clarify Law/Older Adults & LT Services. (H630)
Revise Laws on Adult Care Homes. (H808)
1228 LB
11:00 AM
Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources (Senate) [Live Audio]
Landowner Protection Act. (S374)
ETJ/Clarify Definition of Bona Fide Farm. (S380)
Hunting Protection Act. (S429)
REPS Credits at Cleanfields Parks. (S484)
Swine House Renovations/Site Limits. (S501)
Nutrient Management Plan Only For NSW. (S514)
Clarify Water & Well Rights/Private Property. (S676)
Codify NC Century Farms Program in DACS. (S493)
544 LOB
11:00 AM
Commerce -- CORRECTED (Senate)
NC School of Biotechnology and Agriscience. (S125)
Cash Converters Must Keep Purchase Records. (S144)
Manufactured Home Titling Changes. (S366)
Amend Irrigation Contractors' Licensing Laws. (S405)
Clarify Motor Vehicle Licensing Law. (S438)
Energy Jobs Act. (S709)
1027 LB
11:00 AM
Rep. Pierce [Live Audio]
Ref: Ex-Offfender Lobby Day
Press Room LB
12:00 PM
Sen. Nesbitt [Live Audio]
Press Room LB
12:00 NOON
State and Local Government -- CORRECTED (Senate)
Kinston Mayoral Veto. (H310)
Wilmington Civil Service Board. (S319)
Municipal Systems. (S320)
Prohibit Involuntary Annexation of Farms. (S530)
Omnibus County Bill. (S572)
Modify Hearing & Mailings for Rule Making. (S624)
Require Community Service/Work First Program. (S675)
1124 LB
12:00 NOON
Program Evaluation (Senate)
Dept. of Admin/Procurement Modernization.-AB (S404)
Accountability for Taxpayer Investment Act. (S463)
421 LOB
12:00 NOON
Transportation (House) [Live Audio]
Amend Weight Limits for Farm Products. (H468)
Medians on U.S. Highway 70. (H561)
LDP Changes/Ignition Interlock Exemption. (H591)
NC Highway 54 Corridor Study. (H598)
643 LOB
1:00 PM
Insurance (House)
Insurance Amendments.-AB (H298)
Surplus Lines/Premium Tax.-AB (H299)
Allow Salary Protection Insurance. (H453)
Health Care Sharing Organizations. (H578)
1228/1327
1:00 PM
Agriculture -- CANCELLED (House) [Live Audio]
Voluntary Agriculture Districts. (H406)
Rockingham/Hunting While Impaired. (H459)
Landowner Protection Act. (H762)
Animal Welfare Advisory Board/Fund. (H816)
Energy Crops for Biofuels Feedstocks. (S378)
643 LOB
1:00 PM
Sen. P. Berger & Rep. Tillis [Live Audio]
Press Room LB
2:00 PM
Session Convenes (House) [Live Audio]
House
3:00 PM
Session Convenes (Senate) [Live Audio]
Senate



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